The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-06
REV. SAM w. SMALL.

He Lecture. ut the Methodist Oh nreh !
tOOne Of the Largest Audiences
ever IN the Bulldog.
Rev. Sam w. Small, the noted Geor- |
gia Evangelist, arrived in the city yester- !
day morning from st. Augustine, and
took rooms at the Putnam House.
A News reporter called at the rooms
of Mr.. Small in the afternoon, and en-
joyed a long conversation with him.
Mr.. Small is in Florida recuperating,
having caught severe cold in Tennes-
see, which affected his throat. Being
imbued with the idea that his work must
be carried on in and out of season, he lee
lures each evening and breaches on Sun
days.
In speaking of the work done by him
self and Rev. Sam Jones, he says that
they never go to a place unless invited.
and every preparation made for their
meeting, spiritually as well as financially.
They now have enough applications on
hand to keep them busy, should they
undertake to visit every place they have
been invited to hold meetings, for the
next ten years. Mr.. Jones will open a
meeting in Boston on next Sunday, and
will be Joined by Mr.. Small sometime
during the week. Their programme has
! been arranged up to next October, save
a few weeks in the next two months.
/ They do not claim to be professional
evangelists, but receive their appoint
ments from the Bishops just ~ other
Methodist ministers do, and are just a.
| subject to the direction of the annual
conference as the other ministers are.
| Mr.. Small holds the important posi-
! ton of Commissioner of Education"
for the NJ f.. church, his special duties
being to build up what is known as the
| Payne Institute, designed to educate
colored teachers and preachers. Mr.
Small, in speaking of this work, said in
/ effect, that after the late war the South
ern Methodists, in their care for their
colored membership, arranged for their
constitution as a Church, under the title
of the "Colored Episcopal Church in
| America" and a. such, with its corps of
Bishops, it has made exceptionally excel
lent progress. Its greatest poverty Of
resources has been in the lack OF trained
and efficient men to teach and preach to
/ its membership and their children. In
1892 they petitioned the General Confer
| ence of the Southern Methodist Church
/ to take cognizance OF their needs in this
regard, and undertake a scheme for their
relief. This the General Conference did
by providing for a Commissioner Of
Education" to be appointed by the
Bishops in consultation with the Bishops
of the colored church, whose duties it
should be to undertake the establish
ment of fund in aid of institutions for
the education of teachers and preachers
from the ran ks of the colored church.
1t is for the purpose of carrying out this
plan that Mr.. Small was appointed. and
at every lecture and sermon he presents
the claims of the Payne Institute to his
audience, and they generally respond
very literally.
Mr.. Small shows the heavy work he
has been engaged in recently, and his
visit to Florida will no doubt do him a
vast amount Of good. He expresses
himself as very much pleased with the
progress Florida has made since his last
visit four years ago. He leaves this
morning for Gainesville and Ocala, and
will return to Savannah in time to
preach on Sunday next.
MR.. SMALL'S LECTURE.
notwithstanding the weather the Meth
dist church was filled to OVERLOOKING
last night to hear the lecture of Mr..
Small. From the Bari Room to the
! Pulpit" The lecture for the greater
part was made up of Mr.. Small's own
experiences. ana his descriptions of the
many sad scenes of his pact life brought
tears to nearly every eye in the vast
audience as his, wit brought smiles and
laughter, and his eloquence and beauty
of thought won the applause Of all his
hearers. The latter part of his lecture
was a powerful and eloquent appeal for
prohibition, temperance and Christianity.
The lateness of the hour forbids a
more extended notice of this remark able
lectu re. but We risk nothing in saying
that il was one Of the most enjoyable
talks ever listened to by a Palatka aud
fence. His delivery lacks the fire and
animation of his old political efforts, but
his evident earnestneee in his present
work makes all amends.